Scottish Executive

Access for People with Disabilities

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1004 by Nicol Stephen on 14 July 2003, when it estimates that the research recommended by the Blue Badge review will be completed.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive is working with the Department for Transport on this matter. The latest estimate from the Department for Transport is that the research will be commissioned in 2004-05. I would reassure you that we are committed to introducing appropriate changes at the earliest opportunity, however, the research needs to be comprehensive and will take some time to complete.

Arts

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what disbursement it has made from the Dewar Arts Awards; to whom such disbursements have been made, and in respect of which activities.

Mr Frank McAveety: An independent trust was set up to administer the Dewar Arts Awards under the Chairmanship of Ruth Wishart. Following rigorous assessment of initial nominations, the trustees identified the first two talented young beneficiaries in February 2003, both students of music, and thereby committed a total of £60,900 towards the costs of their further studies in the field.

  Full details of the two beneficiaries and their awards can be obtained from the Company Secretary, Dewar Arts Awards Trust, c/o Scottish Arts Council, 12 Manor Place, Edinburgh, EH3 7DD, telephone 0131 226 6051 or email dewar@scottisharts.org.uk.

Audiology

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2315 by Malcolm Chisholm on 11 September 2003, what the average waiting time has been from referral by a GP for an appointment with ear, nose and throat departments for a hearing test, and other audiology tests, prior to referral to a consultant in each of the last four years, broken down by NHS board area.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2315 by Malcolm Chisholm on 11 September 2003, whether the median waiting times given in that answer include the waiting period for a hearing test following a GP referral but prior to referral to a consultant and, if not, what the total median waiting time period has been including that waiting time in each of the last four years, broken down by NHS board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: Information on waiting times for a hearing test or other audiology test is not available. Data on out-patient waiting times are collected centrally at specialty level only.

  Audiology services are in the specialty of ear, nose and throat, hearing and other tests will normally be conducted at a first out-patient appointment at a consultant-led clinic in this specialty, following referral by a general medical practitioner.

Audiology

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the 90-week wait for an appointment for a hearing test being experienced by Dr Symms from the Melrose area, what action it is taking to address the length of time taken for such appointments and whether additional funding will be made available to reduce such waiting times.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2315 by Malcolm Chisholm on 11 September 2003 where the provisional median time for an audiology appointment in the Borders NHS Board area is given as 34 days in 2003, why Dr Peter Symms of Brotherstone, near Melrose, has been advised that the waiting time for such an appointment is 90 weeks and what action it will take to address this issue.

Malcolm Chisholm: The figures provided in the answer to question S2W-2315 on 11 September 2003, were the median waiting times for a first out-patient appointment at a consultant-led clinic in the specialty of ear, nose and throat . Information on waiting times for an audiology appointment is not available as data is collected centrally at specialty level only.

  I understand from NHS Borders that the waiting time for an audiology appointment quoted to Dr Symms was incorrect. They have now written to Dr Symms to advise that the anticipated wait is 48 weeks.

  The board is currently developing an audiology modernisation plan and finalising its bid for funding from the Audiology Modernisation Funds which were announced earlier this year. It is also in the process of reallocating some work to increase the time available for trained audiologists to undertake hearing aid assessments and expects these actions to lead to reductions in waiting times early in the New Year.

Audiology

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the role of the Waiting Times Co-ordination Unit is in respect of the length of waiting time for a first appointment for a hearing test, and other audiology tests, before referral to a consultant.

Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-2908 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search "> http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  We are determined to tackle waiting times for first out-patient appointments, including waits for audiology. The Executive has included a commitment in the white paper Partnership for Care and the Partnership Agreement Partnership for a Better Scotland, that no patient will wait longer than 26 weeks for a first out-patient appointment following GP referral, by 2005.

  The National Waiting Times Unit has agreed plans with each NHS board which include local out-patient waiting times targets which demonstrate the progress they are expected to make towards delivery of the 26-week target. In addition, I launched the Out-patient Action Plan on 13 June 2003 and the Centre for Change and Innovation will drive forward its implementation through a co-ordinated programme of service redesign and the promotion and dissemination of good practice across NHSScotland.

  The Executive is committed to the modernisation of audiology services and £8 million is being made available between 2003-04 and 2006-07. On 1 October 2003, we announced the issue of £9 million over the next three years to meet the Partnership Agreement commitment to allow the routine issue of digital hearing aids and support where they are the most clinically effective option.

Audiology

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is available in the health and community care section of its Draft Budget 2003-04 to reduce waiting times for first appointments for hearing tests with ear, nose and throat departments.

Malcolm Chisholm: NHS boards receive an allocation to meet health care needs of their resident population. It is for boards to decide how best to utilise this funding to meet national and local priorities.

Audiology

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are waiting for a first appointment for hearing tests with ear, nose and throat departments as at 31 August 2003, broken down by NHS board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not available. Data on out-patient waiting, by specialty, are collected centrally after patients have been seen at a consultant-led clinic, and is therefore retrospective.

  Partnership for Care, which was published in February 2003, includes a commitment to improve the management of out-patient waiting by recording for the first time the number of referrals received for a service and the waiting time for patients who have not been seen at a clinic. Work on this commitment is being taken forward by the National Waiting Times Unit in conjunction with NHSScotland and Information Statistics Division Scotland.

Autism

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is giving to the capital costs of New Struan House being developed by the Scottish Society for Autism.

Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive does not provide capital funding to independent schools. However, support is given to organisations working with children and young people with autistic spectrum disorder, including the Scottish Society for Autism.

  In 2002-04, the Executive’s Special Educational Needs Innovation Grants programme awarded the Scottish Society for Autism £158,249 to provide an education advisory service in partnership with Fife Council. An additional £50,000 was awarded to help kick-start the national Education Outreach Service being offered through new Struan House.

  The Scottish Society for Autism has also been awarded project funding under section 10 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 to develop the assessment and diagnosis service at new Struan House. This represents £82,000 in 2003-04; £46,000 in 2004-05 and £26,000 in 2005-06.

Civil Servants

Mrs Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many civil service jobs there are, broken down by local authority area, department and agency.

Mr Andy Kerr: The full-time equivalent number of permanent staff employed in the core departments of the Scottish Executive, Executive agencies and associated departments, total figures and by local authority, is provided in the following tables. Information on the location of staff employed by other government departments is not held centrally.

  Table 1: Civil Servants (Full-Time Equivalents) in the Scottish Executive Core Departments, Agencies and Associated Departments, as at 1 September 2003.

  

 Total
 
15,409.1


 Scottish Executive 
  Core Departments
 4,347.8


 Corporate Services
 812.5


 Development
 285.1


 Education
 283.6


 Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong 
  Learning
 532.2


 Environment and Rural Affairs
 1,078.6


 Finance and Central Services
 549.9


 Health
 391.7


 Justice
 241.1


 Legal and Parliamentary Services
 173.1


 Crown Office and Procurator 
  Fiscal
 1,449.5


 Agencies and Associated 
  Departments
 9,611.8


 Accountant in Bankruptcy
 72.3


 Communities Scotland
 410.0


 Fisheries Research Service
 330.7


 General Register Office for 
  Scotland
 214.3


 Historic Scotland
 699.1


 HMI Education
 158.8


 National Archive of Scotland
 147.6


 Registers of Scotland
 1,347.6


 Scottish Agricultural Science 
  Agency
 136.1


 Scottish Court Service
 948.8


 Scottish Fisheries Protection 
  Agency
 265.2


 Scottish Prison Service
 4,519.1


 Scottish Public Pensions Agency
 232.1


 Student Awards Agency for Scotland
 130.1



  Table 2: Civil Servants (Full-Time Equivalents) in the Scottish Executive Core Departments, Agencies and Associated Departments by Local Authority Area, as at 1 September 2003.

  

 Local Authority Area
 Department/Agency
 Number


 Aberdeen City
 Total
 572.0


 Communities Scotland
 11.5


 Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal
 54.7


 Fisheries Research Service
 291.7


 HMI Education
 9.5


 Scottish Court Service
 45.7


 Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency
 7.0


 Scottish Prison Service
 151.9


 Aberdeenshire
 Total
 351.4


 Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal
 12.7


 Environment and Rural Affairs
 74.3


 Historic Scotland
 6.3


 Scottish Court Service
 10.9


 Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency
 30.2


 Scottish Prison Service
 217.1


 Angus
 Total
 95.8


 Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal
 9.0


 Fisheries Research Service
 4.7


 Historic Scotland
 9.0


 Justice
 2.8


 Scottish Court Service
 9.2


 Scottish Prison Service
 61.1


 Argyll and Bute
 Total
 63.6


 Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal
 7.5


 Environment and Rural Affairs
 25.5


 Historic Scotland
 16.1


 Scottish Court Service
 6.5


 Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency
 8.0


 City of Edinburgh
 Total
 7,510.6


 Accountant in Bankruptcy
 72.3


 Communities Scotland
 223.5


 Corporate Services
 695.1


 Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal
 369.6


 Development
 250.0


 Education
 283.1


 Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning
 207.0


 Environment and Rural Affairs
 596.8


 Finance and Central Services
 532.3


 General Register Office for Scotland
 214.3


 Health
 391.7


 HMI Education
 94.9


 Historic Scotland
 408.0


 Justice
 220.5


 Legal and Parliamentary Services
 173.1


 National Archive of Scotland
 147.6


 Registers of Scotland
 1,121.8


 Scottish Agricultural Science Agency
 136.1


 Scottish Court Service
 324.7


 Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency
 83.1


 Scottish Prison Service
 809.2


 Scottish Public Pensions Agency
 25.9


 Students Awards Agency for Scotland
 130.1


 Clackmannanshire
 Total
 417.2


 Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal
 4.0


 Justice
 1.0


 Scottish Court Service
 4.7


 Scottish Prison Service
 407.5


 Dumfries And Galloway
 Total
 259.1


 Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal
 30.9


 Environment and Rural Affairs
 36.2


 Historic Scotland
 20.9


 Scottish Court Service
 17.5


 Scottish Prison Service
 153.6


 Dundee City
 Total
 153.3


 Communities Scotland
 21.0


 Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal
 57.4


 Development
 11.0


 Environment and Rural Affairs
 25.0


 HMI Education
 12.4


 Scottish Court Service
 26.5


 East Ayrshire
 Total
 67.4


 Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal
 44.5


 Scottish Court Service
 22.9


 East Dunbartonshire
 Total
 175.8


 Scottish Prison Service
 175.8


 East Lothian
 Total
 34.6


 Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal
 7.0


 Historic Scotland
 9.9


 Justice
 11.9


 Scottish Court Service
 5.8


 Eilean Siar
 Total
 37.0


 Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal
 2.7


 Environment and Rural Affairs
 20.4


 Historic Scotland
 8.7


 Scottish Court Service
 1.7


 Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency
 3.5


 Falkirk
 Total
 558.8


 Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal
 26.2


 Historic Scotland
 4.0


 Scottish Court Service
 50.1


 Scottish Prison Service
 478.5


 Fife
 Total
 112.9


 Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal
 57.8


 Historic Scotland
 17.3


 Scottish Court Service
 34.9


 Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency
 3.0


 Glasgow City
 Total
 1,813.7


 Communities Scotland
 74.0


 Corporate Services
 38.2


 Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal
 362.6


 Development
 24.1


 Education
 0.5


 Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning
 325.2


 Environment and Rural Affairs
 2.0


 Finance and Central Services
 9.6


 HMI Education
 35.0


 Historic Scotland
 11.6


 Registers of Scotland
 225.8


 Scottish Court Service
 132.9


 Scottish Prison Service
 572.2


 Highland
 Total
 357.0


 Communities Scotland
 16.0


 Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal
 41.6


 Environment and Rural Affairs
 72.3


 HMI Education
 7.0


 Historic Scotland
 52.8


 Scottish Court Service
 31.0


 Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency
 26.9


 Scottish Prison Service
 109.4


 Inverclyde
 Total
 321.9


 Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal
 20.5


 Scottish Court Service
 15.2


 Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency
 85.0


 Scottish Prison Service
 201.2


 Midlothian
 Total
 0.4


 Historic Scotland
 0.4


 Moray
 Total
 38.2


 Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal
 7.0


 Environment and Rural Affairs
 9.5


 Historic Scotland
 12.9


 Scottish Court Service
 5.8


 Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency
 3.0


 North Ayrshire
 Total
 1.0


 Historic Scotland
 1.0


 North Lanarkshire
 Total
 479.0


 Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal
 40.0


 Historic Scotland
 1.0


 Scottish Court Service
 21.2


 Scottish Prison Service
 416.8


 Orkney
 Total
 42.8


 Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal
 2.0


 Environment and Rural Affairs
 13.5


 Historic Scotland
 23.2


 Scottish Court Service
 2.1


 Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency
 2.0


 Perth and Kinross
 Total
 633.2


 Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal
 24.0


 Environment and Rural Affairs
 43.8


 Fisheries Research Service
 34.3


 Historic Scotland
 3.8


 Scottish Court Service
 19.8


 Scottish Prison Service
 507.6


 Renfrewshire
 Total
 131.7


 Communities Scotland
 43.0


 Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal
 55.7


 Scottish Court Service
 33.0


 Scottish Borders
 Total
 287.5


 Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal
 9.0


 Environment and Rural Affairs
 45.0


 Historic Scotland
 15.1


 Scottish Court Service
 9.1


 Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency
 3.0


 Scottish Public Pensions Agency
 206.2


 Shetland Islands
 Total
 28.3


 Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal
 2.0


 Environment and Rural Affairs
 14.0


 Historic Scotland
 4.6


 Scottish Court Service
 1.7


 Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency
 6.0


 South Ayrshire
South Lanarkshire
 Total
 112.8


 Communities Scotland
 7.0


 Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal
 23.0


 Environment and Rural Affairs
 62.2


 Scottish Court Service
 16.1


 Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency
 4.5


 Total
 188.0


 Communities Scotland
 14.0


 Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal
 94.6


 Environment and Rural Affairs
 20.1


 Historic Scotland
 7.9


 Justice
 4.9


 Scottish Court Service
 46.5


 Stirling
 Total
 369.5


 Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal
 29.9


 Environment and Rural Affairs
 18.0


 Historic Scotland
 52.8


 Scottish Court Service
 11.7


 Scottish Prison Service
 257.2


 West Dunbartonshire
 Total
 50.2


 Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal
 28.0


 Historic Scotland
 2.0


 Scottish Court Service
 20.2


 West Lothian
 Total
 57.0


 Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal
 25.6


 Historic Scotland
 10.0


 Scottish Court Service
 21.4


 Outside Scotland
 Total
 8.0


 Finance And Central Services
 8.0

Construction Industry

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in developing a framework to improve standards in the construction industry.

Lewis Macdonald: The Modernising Construction strategy paper, Achieving  Construction Innovation and Excellence in Scotland ,  which was published on 27 August,  set out a number of recommendations to achieve improvements in the performance of the construction industry over the next three years. The key recommendations are the creation of a Construction Innovation and Excellence Forum and Construction Innovation and Excellence Centre. We are currently in discussions to appoint a forum chairperson and members. Once appointed, the forum will decide on proposals and timescales for establishing the centre.

  The new Building (Scotland) Act that was introduced in March this year will modernise the system of building standards in Scotland, making it more responsive to the needs of the construction industry as well as the public.

Culture

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings there have been of the Joint Implementation Group on the National Cultural Strategy; when the group last met, and what the membership is of the group.

Mr Frank McAveety: There have been four meetings of the Joint Implementation Group on the National Cultural Strategy. The group last met on 13 January 2003. Core membership of the group consists of senior representatives from COSLA, the Scottish Arts Council, Scottish Screen, National Galleries of Scotland, National Museums of Scotland, National Libraries of Scotland, Scottish Museums Council, Scottish Library and Information Council, VisitScotland,  sportscotland and Historic Scotland. The group is chaired by the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport. I am considering the future of the group in the light of the commitment in A Partnership for a Better Scotland to review the cultural sector.

Debt Arrangement Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2003

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the draft Debt Arrangement Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2003, what fee is envisaged in respect of access to the register by a creditor or loan provider.

Hugh Henry: The current consultation on the draft regulations seeks views on the level at which register search fees should be set. That consultation closed on 2 October and the views of the respondents will be taken into account in determining the level of the fees.

Debt Arrangement Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2003

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the draft Debt Arrangement Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2003, whether it will make explicit references to the need for total disclosure of all debts at the start of any debt arrangement scheme.

Hugh Henry: It is not intended that the regulations will require this. During the passage of the Debt Arrangement and Attachment (Scotland) Bill, the Social Justice Committee expressed concern that a debtor may genuinely forget a debt. It would be unduly harsh if a debt payment programme were to be revoked because of this. The bill was amended to reflect this. Section 2(3)(a) of the act therefore now provides for debtors to specify, to the best of their knowledge and belief, details of debts to be paid under a debt payment programme. The details required under section 2 include the amounts, periods and manner in which the debts are to be paid.

Debt Arrangement Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2003

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Debt Arrangement Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2003 will include a requirement that every creditor must consent to a scheme.

Hugh Henry: The regulations do make provision for the consent of every creditor. However, they will also provide for where that consent may be dispensed with. This is to take account of the circumstances in which a creditor does not respond or unreasonably withholds consent.

Debt Arrangement Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2003

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the draft Debt Arrangement Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2003, what steps it will take to ensure that the proposed register is kept up to date.

Hugh Henry: We recognise that it is imperative to the success of the scheme that the register is kept up to date at all times. It is for this reason that we propose that the register will be web-based and will be automatically updated as an application progresses and reflect changes to debt payment programmes. Details of the information that it is proposed be held on the register are set out in part 4 of the draft regulations.

Debt Arrangement Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2003

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the draft Debt Arrangement Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2003, what the role of money advisers and Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS) administrators will be in respect of debt management, collection and the making of payments to creditors.

Hugh Henry: Money advisers and the DAS administrator have no direct role in these areas. The aim of the scheme is to assist and support debtors to enable them to manage the debt themselves. Money advisers will do this by offering money advice and assistance in implementing and applying for approval of a debt payment programme. The DAS administrator will determine such applications, in accordance with the regulations, and maintain the register of applications for debt payment programmes and of debt payment programmes in force.

Education

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1728 by Peter Peacock on 26 August 2003, which junior groups have benefited from  sportscotland’s lottery sports funding since the inception of the Junior Group Programme.

Mr Frank McAveety: Since its inception in 1998, 160 awards totalling £5,065,242  have been made under this programme. The breakdown of awards to each sport is set out in the table.

  

 Sport
 No. 
  of Awards
 Value


 Angling
 1
 £423


 Aquatics, Swimming
 5
 £183,227


 Archery
 1
 £5,377


 Athletics
 4
 £145,869


 Badminton
 5
 £182,400


 Basketball
 8
 £176,138


 Boxing
 3
 £118,750


 Canoeing
 6
 £135,462


 Cricket
 5
 £184,059


 Curling
 4
 £143,011


 Cycling
 5
 £124,809


 Disability Sport
 1
 £38,000


 Equestrian
 3
 £118,118


 Fencing
 5
 £125,664


 Football
 9
 £332,716


 Golf
 3
 £151,559


 Gymnastics
 5
 £187,205


 Hockey
 4
 £133,362


 Judo
 3
 £73,089


 Motor Sports
 2
 £49,791


 Netball
 2
 £48,379


 Orienteering
 5
 £73,403


 Rowing
 1
 £5,650


 Rugby Union
 5
 £176,600


 Sailing/Yachting
 4
 £102,750


 Shinty
 2
 £18,143


 Skiing
 7
 £169,619


 Squash
 4
 £117,542


 Table Tennis
 5
 £187,834


 Tennis
 2
 £80,000


 Triathlon
 4
 £106,311


 Volleyball
 2
 £59,141


 Water Skiing
 1
 £5,046


 Weightlifting
 2
 £37,843


 Multi Sports
 32
 £1,267,952

Education

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1728 by Peter Peacock on 19 August 2003, how many children are accessing each of the new centres of excellence referred to, broken down by centre and sphere of activity.

Peter Peacock: This information is not held centrally.

Environment

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it, or any of its agencies, has received any requests in respect of the disposal of toxic waste from ships in Teesside.

Allan Wilson: Members of the Scottish Parliament and others have raised concerns about the possible transit of vessels from the US to Teesside to be scrapped. The Scottish Executive has not, however, had any requests concerning the disposal of toxic waste arising from ships on Teesside. We further understand that neither Fisheries Research Services nor the Scottish Environment Protection Agency have received any such requests.

Health

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to run down, close or reduce investment in the Scottish Heart Transplant Unit at Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

Malcolm Chisholm: The full range of services at the Scottish Heart Transplant Unit in September 2001 was resumed on the understanding that the unit would be reviewed after two years by National Services Division, which has responsibility for monitoring all national services. That review is now under way and is expected to last around six months. The paramount concern is to provide the service which best meets the clinical needs of all the unit’s patients.

Higher Education

Mr Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional funds it would receive through the Barnett formula as a result of the 7% increase in 18- to 30-year-olds studying in higher education in England projected in The Future of Higher Education .

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive will receive through the Barnett formula, a proportion of any additional Government funds provided for higher education in England, including any in order to meet the costs of increasing capacity.

  It will then be for Scottish ministers to allocate these funds, as part of the total Scottish block, to meet Scottish priorities.

Historic Buildings

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what efforts are being made to improve public involvement in the regeneration of architecturally important buildings in light of the popularity of the BBC programme "Restoration".

Mr Frank McAveety: The Scottish Executive has long supported and encouraged public involvement in the regeneration of architecturally important buildings throughout Scotland. Through Historic Scotland, the Executive funds the Buildings at Risk Register which provides information to the public on historic buildings in need of rescue with a view to encouraging people to buy them and find new uses for them. Since the Buildings at Risk initiative was started in 1990, some 650 historic buildings have been saved in Scotland.

  Most public involvement in building regeneration projects, however, is channelled through the work of Building Preservation Trusts (BPTs) in rescuing historic buildings which have suffered from long-term neglect. At a local level, Historic Scotland gives priority to BPT projects in awarding repair grants. Moreover, Historic Scotland provides revenue grant to the Scottish Areas Committee of the Association of Building Preservation Trusts to assist in their work of promoting and supporting the work of BPTs in Scotland.

Justice

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to introduce legislation to permit class actions.

Cathy Jamieson: There are no plans at present to introduce such legislation. The issues surrounding multi-party or representative actions are complex and the arguments for and against the introduction of class action procedure are finely balanced. There are already ways within existing procedures by which multi-party actions can be successfully dealt with together, such as by conjoining cases. Informal working arrangements among solicitors representing a number of parties can also help in co-ordinating claims and negotiating settlements without the need for a class action procedure. We will, however, keep this area under review.

Justice

Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what specialist help is available for victims of miscarriages of justice.

Cathy Jamieson: We recognise that those released from custody in such circumstances may require help to resettle in the community. Local authorities have a duty under the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 to provide advice, guidance and assistance on request within 12 months of a person’s release from custody. This includes those released following an appeal against conviction and/or sentence. The objectives of voluntary assistance aim to provide a range of supportive services to assist in the reintegration of an ex-prisoner into the community.

  Individuals who have suffered a miscarriage of justice can obtain information and advice on submitting a claim for compensation from a solicitor.

Justice

Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what research has been undertaken into the effects that miscarriages of justice have on wrongfully imprisoned persons, their children and families.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive has not commissioned any research on the effects that miscarriages of justice have on wrongfully imprisoned person, their children or their families.

Music Tuition

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of (a) primary and (b) secondary schoolchildren receive instrumental music tuition in school.

Peter Peacock: Information on uptake of instrumental tuition in schools is not collected centrally.

  The Scottish Arts Council’s audit of youth music provision in Scotland, published in February 2003, highlighted that the provision of instrumental instruction varied across local authorities.

  The Scottish Executive is using a variety of methods to increase participation in instrumental tuition through the provision of additional funding of £17.5 million over this and the next two years for youth music tuition announced by First Minister on 26 February 2003. The Scottish Arts Council has been charged with administering funding for this initiative and will encourage local authorities to offer a diverse spread of provision in a range of styles and genres.

Music Tuition

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will progress towards its target that by 2006 all children should have access to one year's free music tuition by primary 6.

Mr Frank McAveety: Funding for the initiative is being allocated to local authorities through the Scottish Arts Council. It will be for each local authority, working closely with the council, to prepare plans relevant to its individual circumstances that will enable it to meet the target.

Music Tuition

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what role it gives to popular music in encouraging the uptake of instrumental music tuition in schools.

Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive provides advice on the provision of music tuition in the classroom, primarily in the form of curriculum guidelines. It is for local authorities and schools to make decisions on the various forms of music tuition that will be made available to pupils.

  The Scottish Executive has produced further guidance for local authorities on good practice in the management of music tuition services and that encourages local authorities to offer tuition on contemporary and traditional instruments and support ensembles which perform contemporary and traditional styles of music.

  The Scottish Arts Council has been charged by the First Minister with administering £17.5 million over the next three years to assist education authorities in ensuring that every primary school pupil has the opportunity to have at least one year’s free music tuition before they reach primary six.

Music Tuition

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what role it gives to modern musical production methods and technology in relation to music tuition in schools.

Peter Peacock: Whilst the Scottish Executive provides advice on the provision of music tuition in the classroom, primarily in the form of curriculum guidelines, it is the responsibility of individual education authorities and headteachers to make decisions on how best to provide music education in their schools.

Planning

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how long an objector has to request the call-in of a planning application in circumstances where it is believed that planning policy guidelines may have been breached.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: There is no set statutory procedure for individual members of the public to request the call-in of planning applications.

  Some planning applications require to be formally notified to the Scottish ministers because they may raise issues which could justify call-in of the application for determination by the Scottish ministers. The notification procedures do not set a period for additional objections or representations to be made to the Scottish ministers. However, the ministers will give due consideration to any objections and representations made to the planning authority on the application, and any that they have received directly, prior to deciding whether or not to call in a notified application.

  Where proposals do not fall into a category requiring formal notification, the Scottish ministers still have powers to call-in the application prior to the planning authority issuing its decision. It would be open to an individual to make their views known to Scottish ministers who would consider whether or not call-in of the application was justified.

Planning

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures are available to an objector who believes that a planning authority may have breached planning policy or guidelines.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: : The interpretation of planning policy and guidance is a matter for the planning authority, in the first instance.

  Complaints about the handling of applications can be made through the planning authority’s own complaint procedures. Where an objector feels that they have suffered injustice or hardship as a result of maladministration or service failure on the part of the planning authority, it would be open to them to make a complaint to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.

  Planning decisions are also open to review in the courts. Neither the ombudsman nor the courts deal with complaints about the exercise of the planning authority’s legitimate discretion in reaching a decision.

Planning

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures are available to objectors who believe that incorrect information has been provided to a planning authority.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: There are no statutory procedures specifically covering such a situation. It is open to an objector to bring their concerns to the attention of the planning authority.

Planning

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what responsibility a planning authority has to investigate the accuracy of the information contained in a planning application submitted to it.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: In exercising their functions the planning authority must act reasonably. Planning authorities have powers under planning legislation to require further information in order for them to deal with an application and to require the production of evidence in respect of information accompanying a planning application.

Planning

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the position would be where planning permission has been granted and it is made known to the planning authority that the information on which the application was assessed was inaccurate.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: It would be for the planning authority to consider what action to take in the circumstances of the case. It may be possible to modify or revoke planning permission or require the discontinuance of the use but that would depend on the circumstances of each case and would be a matter for the planning authority.

Public Sector Staff

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the British Airport Authority regarding whether the authority will adhere to the Executive’s policy of dispersal of public sector jobs and services, particularly from Edinburgh.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has had no such discussions with the British Airport Authority (BAA). BAA operates in the private sector and the location of its workforce and services is an operational matter for the company.

Public Transport

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the 70% increase in investment in public transport over the next three years, announced by the Minister for Transport on 25 August 2003, will be allocated to bus services.

Nicol Stephen: There is currently no proportional split of resources between different public transport modes.

Rail Network

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm its contribution of approximately £110 million as indicated in the estimate of expense and funding statement lodged with the Waverley Railway (Scotland) Bill.

Nicol Stephen: The Executive has already awarded up to £2.1 million to the Waverley Railway Partnership to progress this project to parliamentary bill stage.

  The Executive is committed to supporting construction of the Borders rail line and we await submission of the detailed business case.

Recycling

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what facilities are available in each local authority area for recycling plastics.

Ross Finnie: A study by RECOUP (Recycling of Used Plastics Limited) for REMADE Scotland, published in March 2003, indicated that 14 local authorities in Scotland operated a plastic bottle collection system. A copy of this study, called Plastic Bottle Recycling in Scotland: An outline of the current infrastructure and potential for plastic bottle recycling in Scotland , can be found on the REMADE website at http://www.remade.org.uk/Plastics/recyclinginscotland.htm .

Scottish Executive Finance

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the underspend in the Justice budget was for 2002-03 and under which budget headings the underspend took place.

Cathy Jamieson: The total net underspend for the Justice budget for the financial year 2002-03 was £50 million. Detailed information on the underspend and plans to allocate these resources in the current financial year was sent to all members of Justice 1 and 2 Committees on 25 September, and is published on the Scottish Parliament website.

Single European Currency

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it submitted any evidence or had any research input into the Chancellor of the Exchequer's assessment of the five economic tests for UK membership of the euro, and, if so, whether it will made copies of its submission, available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Mr Andy Kerr: A decision as to whether or not to recommend UK entry into European Monetary Union is a reserved matter. However, the Scottish Executive has been in regular contact with both HM Treasury and the Scotland Office regarding euro preparations.

Social Justice

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is using to assess the effectiveness of its efforts to reduce social deprivation; what targets it has set for each of these measures, and what action it is taking to achieve them, as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland .

Ms Margaret Curran: The Executive measures progress against the 29 social justice milestones as reported in the Social Justice Annual Report 2002 , which can be found at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/social/emsjm-00.asp . Many of these measures can only be achieved in the long term.

  More detailed shorter term targets across ministerial portfolios are contained within The Scottish Executive Draft Budget 2004-05, which can be found at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/finance/db05-00.asp.

  There is a large range of activities in A Partnership for a Better Scotland that will address both the milestones and budget targets. For example, plans to introduce financial support for all 16- to 19-year-olds from low income families, to allow them to continue their education.

Social Work

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1687 by Euan Robson on 18 August 2003, when it was anticipated that the report by the Chief Inspector of Social Work would be available and when that report is to be published.

Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-1687 on 18 August 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search "> http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search

Water Charges

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take on the recommendations of the Water Customer Consultation Panel's report Principles of Charging for Water and Wastewater .

Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-2537 on 25 September 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search "> http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Young People

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2F-184 by Jack McConnell on 11 September 2003, how many local sports centres, community centres, youth clubs and other facilities providing activities for young people have been closed by local authorities in the last seven years and how many of these facilities have been subsequently replaced.

Mr Frank McAveety: As the First Minister previously stated in his answer, this is a matter for local authorities. The information requested is not held centrally.